Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-09-30
BATTLE AMONG ANTS.
DETAILS OF AN INTERESTING FIGHT
WHICH LASTED FIVE HOURS.

WHICH LASTED FIVE HOURS.
A Hand to Hand Soldiers"
of Reckless Daring-Distinction Be
the Dead After the Battle.
In the summer year ago swarm Of black
ants (Formca Pcnnsylvanical built their nests
between the ceiling and the roof of she'd
near our dwelling, III the suburbs OF Phiadel-
phil. At a distance Of a few hundred feet
from the shed a second colony OF the same
species had also built "a home in a sheltered
place. Both M" Is were unusually popu!ous.
Battles between ants of different species
fought for the purpose Of capturing slaves,
nave been often described, But on bright
morning in August | was a witness of fight
between these two colonies OF the same
species, which could have been wagcd for no
such purpose, and which gave the occasion
for a greater display of forethoughI ON The
part Of the coubatants than is usually con-
cede,i even to the ant The nest III the roof
was the one attacked The only approach to
it from the ground was by post and plas-
t'ith wan tsp'll 0lA EtEt hl-l n SHlbtIu
plank floor fitted closely against the wall and
post and was raised above the ground by a
low step. This floor was the scene of the
conflict.
In all my repeated study of these nests and
their inhabitants during the summer months
the small workers were the only ones who
seemed to labor They did all the fpraging,
aud it was unusual to see one of the larger
workers outside Of the entrance of the nest,
which, however, they faithfully guarded.
The conduct of the latter SO much more
closely agreed with that of tn, soldier ants of
kindred species that in speaking of them III
this paper | shall call them soldiers, because
they certainly performed all the duties Of a
soldier, and, So far as could be Seen did moth.
ing else.
When | saw them on the morning of the
battle both the small workers and the large
ones, OF soldiers, We're out on the wall, post
and floor in great numbers There was nc
fight then going on. A strong force of sol
olicrs held every approach at the foot of the
post and wall smaller bodies were formed in
regular lines half way up the post and large
outstanding groups were stationed at CLOSE
distances here and there upon the floor and
step, and running up and down the post sup
porting the nest.
While / stood wondering at the unusual
communion ! 81" at 're dIslin'e VI ie"
leet h''H' "i Sh'aII "uihers' CLOSELY lolio"eu
ny si'd' u"iuo "i SoidieiS' streaming along
a fence from the other distant nest. They
ii'is. nav '''''''"l'' Iu''''i''',S III very
the fence to the ground SwaInel up the SteI
10 the d"f ana poured Ill crowds upon tht
defensive scouts ne antagonists rushed
upon ga II '''e' anu "i'ii '"eH s,i'nS jaw
'u' 'it "e'F ''E "ii' 'iei an ''i''''i'''' ah'
o"'''' t''''' 50 eu 'i'' "o'H VI d" oPl'hei
at d ii'"' he io'ei'i''St S"iu'erS ol 'le ue
iei's'>e pai'N CANT W tle IeStur' ana iit
swarm oi hps'lie workers were uriNeh oacf
i"N4lu Ihe S'el'-
hh' iN tiis time tne soldlefs OIL the h''ach
ii- t'i i'''i i'''Ciit'' lii' h'oi' i'oN "e
ii'''A'eiS onward III ueiise piach hi;iss
cTusiih9 iheh ahialleI i"9 hs ihey ahNahcd
III Il lie" moments the small WORKERS WERE
either all Killed or retired from The front
Iheii the battie between the soldiers oi tht
opposing forces began IN earnest. HaliIng
moment TIL then ranks were close and com
pact though by no means regular, the IN
'aherS a"Faileed 10 the ATTACK III dehst
mass seeming TO completely cover ihe hool
over "hi'h they moved IN TINS close array
they mel the defenders, whom they greatly
ontnumhered- They We're received, however
WIN courage aS great as thelf own, ana
ther ranks were qntrhy broken up alt
thrown INTO apparent disorder
Alter the general charge had been thu:
male and tue conhhtants were mixed IN al
uhdlStinSuiahahln crowd, single chainpion
were seen rushing around the noor seeking (
Zoe. hen two OF these champions ap
preached each other mutual examination
with the ends OF their antenn9 now seemed
| necessary to tell Zoe from friend. Many sucl
| meetings were friendly, and after the saluta
| ton both would rush away at full speed
But when, 10y the delicate test of feeling o.
whatever serves them to thus distinguish
zach had found an enemy, they rushed upon
que another with the utmost rage, clmchet
| both with feet and Jaws, and doubling them
| selves up, rolled over the hoor, bltlng ant
tearing each other entirely undlStuIt'ed II
Their deadly work by being ilfted up INTO tht
ar with par of iorceps. AT one lime TIN
moor was nearly piack win Ihese roilng com
|
| As tle battle progressed the superior mum
hers Oh the invaders drove the defenders
their nome Slowly backward 10 the 1oot o
the post linen number ot the sinai
workers. VINO had been stationed upon In
posi-, ran rapidly UP 10 lhe nest IN mo
meht Iresh army OF soldiers, numbering
many huildreus, rushed from the hest, ana
descending ihe post, passed. the guards at In
base ana len upon the VICTORIOUS Zoe drlNlh!
lheHi path sl""lN' pui stfa'iiiN' 10 lhe else
lle sl'l' Tue gulrd9 at lie haNe oil the pos
aid not api~a' o. leaFe thelt slalloh 10 ehSag
Ill Ihe Sehel'i hsh'' ana ohly lo"h palt III |
at all Nheh Tue ''ElllS en'dlefs ttlel 10 pas
thtll 10 ft''Ci tht nest.
me NM Lisl'.l npoV, ll'e Iouta' ana eilut
III t''r i''' VI 'n' "''d, mus I'H y
! "'Hu .lo ''''o '''e ""'''''i'''' u''"'''ltSH
I'le iii''riii- Fh'N were seen '''aSeii'S 'i''ii
selves OH the hrIi, generally carrying VII
theHa some elciily Nhhh had fastened nPo
mem 10y MS S'r"lle jaws III a deith embrace
In many cases these attached toemen wer
lonnd to consist only oil PAR OF Jaws and
head, all the rest OF the body having bee
torn away IN the ight. Nith bulldog tenat
| ity the head held on hfnliy, resisting all ei
forts of the wounded ants to remove 1t. L
test the force of his grip of the jaws touche
some of the unwounded soldiers with pai